Systems and methods for loading and unloading a magazine

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for loading and unloading a magazine are comprised herein. An apparatus described herein includes a magazine that has chamber for storing ammunition. A toll that is used for loading and unloading ammunition into the magazine. The tool includes a reservoir container that is defined by three sides of the tool. The reservoir container is configured to hold ammunition cartridges. A funnel interacts with a proximal end of the reservoir container and is configured to route ammunition from the reservoir container into a single row in a repository channel. A loading press that is sized for insertion into the reservoir container and the repository channel, is used, when inserted, to guide ammunition through the tool and into the magazine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ammunition magazines are the most common means of storing and delivering ammunition into firearms. While the correlation between firearms maintenance and serviceability has become well known, the importance of maintaining magazines is an issue that is overlooked today. This oversight is noticeable because there is a wide array of cleaning products available for firearms, but there are very few cleaning products available for magazine care. Most users forget that the magazine is a necessary part of a firearm and a part that could easily cause the firearm to malfunction. Along with the lack of understanding that the firearms magazine is integral for the proper functioning of a weapon, many users do not clean or maintain their magazines because of the time and work involved with doing so.

Unmaintained magazines are prone to firearms jams and ammunition misfeeds. A firearm jam is caused when “dirty” ammunition is transferred from the magazine to the weapon. The ammunition becomes “dirty” because debris from the unmaintained magazine is transferred onto the ammunition. A misfeed may be caused because a magazine has weakened coil springs. Coil springs are weakened because the springs have been left compressed at solid height state for a period of time. In other word, weakened springs generally have less return tension. Spring tension loss can lead to a “failure-to-feed” malfunction in a firearm, because ammunition cartridges are not raised quickly enough onto the magazine feed lips to be caught by the bolt of a firearm. Misfeeds in firearms are also caused because the components of the magazine casing have become deformed from the constant pressure exerted onto them by the compressed spring. Feed lips may be deformed as a result of the constant pressure exerted by the compressed spring. Deformed feed lips can lead to a “double feed” of ammunition into a firearm, because the feed lips become spaced open wider. The additional spacing may allow inertia from the recoil of a firearm to eject an ammunition cartridge unintentionally into the firearm. A base plate may also become deformed, which can lead to the base plate falling off over time.

In many instances, a magazine is kept stored with ammunition for ready use. In order to conduct maintenance, the ammunition must be removed before the magazine can be disassembled safely A second magazine is then usually loaded to substitute availability for the first magazine. In order to unload a magazine, the ammunition is removed a single cartridge at a time. The process is repeated when reloading the magazine. The unloading and reloading is slow and tedious, and most users purchase new magazines instead of conducting the necessary maintenance on the current magazine. No means exist in the art to remove the spring itself before unloading the ammunition from a magazine. Likewise, no means exist to transfer ammunition directly from one magazine into another in bulk.

Along with no means for quickly and easily unloading ammunition from a magazine for maintenance, there are no means for reloading ammunition placed into a storage media during maintenance back into a magazine in bulk. In the prior art, reloading ammunition stored in a storage media, such as ammunition boxes or carton racks, would require taking individual cartridges from either types of container and inserting them individually into a magazine. This is a time consuming and tedious process, but no means exist for loading ammunition from a box or carton rack into a magazine in bulk.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1A is a view of a firearms magazine;

FIG. 2 is an angled side view of a loading/unloading tool and a loading press;

FIG. 3A is a rear cross section view of the loading press inserted into a donor magazine to create spacing for the extraction funnel to be inserted into the magazine;

FIG. 3B is a rear cross section view of the extraction funnel, inserted into a donor magazine, consolidating ammunition from a double offset parallel row configuration into a single row configuration for passage between the magazine feed lips;

FIG. 3C is a rear cross section view of the loading press, inserted through the side opening of the repository channel, urging ammunition from the repository channel through a loading funnel into a recipient magazine where it is disbursed into a double offset parallel row configuration and maintained from escaping from the magazine by feed lips on the magazine;

FIG. 3D is a side cross section view of the extraction funnel, inserted into a donor magazine, with cartridges extracted from the magazine being guided into the repository channel by the loading press;

FIG. 3E is a side cross section view of the loading press, inserted through the side opening of the repository channel, urging ammunition from the repository channel into an attached recipient magazine, with the feed lips of the magazine retaining the loaded ammunition;

FIG. 3F is a side cross section view of the loading press, inserted through the side opening of the repository channel between two ammunition cartridges with the assistance of the insertion edge, pressing cartridges from the repository channel into an attached recipient magazine;

FIG. 4A is an angled side view of a typical box of ammunition;

FIG. 4B is an angled side view of a typical carton rack of ammunition;

FIG. 5A is a side cross section view of a box with ammunition cartridges placed onto a loading/unloading tool for unloading of ammunition from the box onto the loading/unloading tool;

FIG. 5B is a side cross section view of a carton rack with ammunition cartridges placed onto a loading/unloading tool for unloading of ammunition from the carton rack onto the loading/unloading tool;

FIG. 5C is a side cross section view of a row of cartridges being dropped from a box onto the loading/unloading tool while another row is held in reserve;

FIG. 5D is a side cross section view of a row of cartridges being dropped from a carton rack onto the loading/unloading tool while another row is held in reserve;

FIG. 6 is an angled side view of the loading press and the reservoir container group coupled to a magazine;

FIG. 7A is a side cross section view of the reservoir container hosting a box of ammunition during the transfer of ammunition from the box into the reservoir container;

FIG. 7B is a side cross section view of the reservoir container hosting a carton rack of ammunition during the transfer of ammunition from the carton rack into the reservoir container;

FIG. 7C is a side cross section view of ammunition moving from the reservoir container into the repository channel with a loading press urging ammunition from the repository channel into an attached magazine;

FIG. 8A is a front cross section view of the reservoir container hosting a box of ammunition during the transfer of ammunition from the box into the reservoir container;

FIG. 8B is a front cross section view of the reservoir container hosting a carton rack of ammunition during the transfer of ammunition from the carton rack into the reservoir container; and

FIG. 8C is a front cross section view of ammunition moving from the reservoir container into the repository channel with a loading press urging ammunition from the repository channel into an attached magazine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The prior art method for preserving the exertion tension of a spring in a loaded magazine from becoming fatigued requires that the spring of the magazine be manually decompressed through the unloading of ammunition from the magazine. However, this is a time and labor intensive activity especially when dealing with high capacity magazines. It is therefore an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a system by which the spring of a magazine can be maintained from encountering fatigue by unloading the ammunition from the magazine by transferring it into a second magazine without needing to unload and reload the ammunition by individual cartridge.

An example embodiment of the present invention is a process by which ammunition is unloaded in bulk from a magazine with the aid of an apparatus, which then reloads the ammunition into another magazine in bulk. This process involves the use of an apparatus with an extraction funnel, which is inserted into a loaded magazine and routes the ammunition out of the magazine by channeling it between the magazine feed lips, which are used to retain ammunition in the magazine. The apparatus then routes the ammunition into a repository channel, which is tangent and aligned to the extraction funnel at a proximal end on the repository channel. A second magazine, which will be loaded with the ammunition in the repository channel, is coupled to the distal end of the repository channel and the gap between that magazine's feed lips are set in alignment with the repository channel. A loading funnel, tangent to the distal end of the repository channel and aligned with the repository channel, consolidates the ammunition in the repository channel into a single row for passage between the feed lips of the second magazine. A loading press, used to urge ammunition from the repository channel into the second magazine, is inserted into the repository channel and presses the ammunition in the repository channel into the second magazine.

The prior art method for loading ammunition stored in a container such as a box or carton rack requires taking out individual cartridges from either type of container and loading them one by one into a magazine. However, as this is time and labor intensive, it is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a system by which ammunition can be transferred from a box or carton rack in mass into a magazine through the assistance of a loading apparatus.

An example embodiment of the present invention is a process by which an open box or carton rack of ammunition, containerized in multiple parallel rows, is placed onto a loading apparatus in bulk for mass loading into a magazine. This is accomplished by inserting ammunition from one of the types of containers into a repository channel on the apparatus with the cartridges on the container facing towards the apparatus, primer/base side first. The containerized cartridges are preferably dropped by force of gravity into a repository channel on the apparatus, which runs lengthwise in the apparatus, through an opening on the side of the apparatus. Once the cartridges are dropped in with their flat base/primer sides facing into the repository channel, the box or carton rack is lifted away, leaving the cartridges in place. While in the channel, the ammunition may be held in a single row or double parallel offset row configuration. A magazine is attached to a proximal end of the repository channel, with the gap between the magazine feed lips placed in linear planar alignment with the repository channel the ammunition contained therein. A loading press, which urges ammunition from the repository channel into the attached magazine, is inserted into the repository channel either through the side opening between cartridges or through the distal end of the repository channel. The cartridges are then pressed through a loading funnel, tangent and aligned to the magazine and the proximal end of the repository channel, which directs the cartridges into a single row for loading between the magazine feed lips into the magazine with the assistance of a loading press.

Another example embodiment of the present invention is a process by which ammunition contained within boxes or carton racks are placed in bulk into a reservoir container for mass loading into a magazine. This is accomplished through inserting either type of container with ammunition into an opening on the side of the reservoir container for feed into a magazine. The containers are placed into the reservoir container while opened with their cartridges facing flat base/primer side first into the reservoir container. Once the cartridge flat base/primer sides are placed onto the reservoir container, the ammunition container is lifted away, leaving the cartridges in place. The reservoir container is tilted 90 degrees and the cartridges then fall onto a proximal end of the reservoir container by force of gravity where they are funneled into a single stack by an extraction funnel. They then proceed into a repository channel, which is aligned with and tangent to the extraction funnel at a proximal end on the repository channel. A magazine is attached to the distal end of the repository channel, with the gap between the magazine feed lips set in linear planer alignment with the repository channel. With the aid of a loading press, which travels in the repository channel and urges cartridges from the repository channel into the magazine, the ammunition in the repository channel is pressed into the attached magazine through the repository channel distal end.

In reference to example embodiments disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2, 3A, 3B, and 3D the loading/unloading apparatus 201 is a generally elongated rectangular box shaped container that defines a repository channel 206 running lengthwise through it, which serves to hold ammunition 106. A top opening 202 and bottom opening 203 are located on opposite ends of the loading/unloading apparatus 201. Openings 202, 203 are tangent to both ends of the repository channel 206 and preferably allow for the passage of ammunition 106 through the apparatus 201. Apparatus 201 defines a side opening 204 in the repository channel 206, which is positioned between openings 202, 203. The side opening 204 allows for the loading of box 209 and carton rack 211 ammunition into the repository channel 206.

The loading/unloading tool 201 extracts ammunition 106 from a donor magazine 200A with the aid of an extraction funnel 205. In an embodiment, the extraction funnel 205 comprises two non-parallel, non-tangent planar slopes which narrow toward a common focal point, whose narrow opening 219 is coupled to the top apparatus opening 202 and whose broad opening 220 is coupled to a donor magazine 200A. The broad and narrow openings of the extraction funnel 205 are in linear alignment with the repository channel 206. A loading press 208, which assists the movement of ammunition 106 between attached magazines 200 and the repository channel 206, is inserted into the repository channel 206 through the side opening 204. A headway spacer 214, located on the top of the loading press 208, is placed ahead of the broad opening 220 of the extraction funnel 205, further away from the top apparatus opening 202 than the broad opening 220. Both the headway spacer 214 and extraction funnel 205 are inserted into the magazine top opening 119 of an ammunition loaded donor magazine 200A. The headway spacer 214 forces the ammunition 106 in the donor magazine 200A away from the magazine top opening 119 and magazine feed lips 123, which retain the ammunition 106 within the donor magazine 200A, to a place deeper into the magazine 200A. This creates space between the magazine feed lips 123 and the ammunition 106 for the extraction funnel 205 to be inserted in through the magazine top opening 119. Once the extraction funnel 205 is inserted, the headway spacer 214 is pulled out of the donor magazine 200A, allowing the ammunition 106, under pressure of the magazine follower 102, to move towards the extraction funnel 205. Passing through the extraction funnel 205, the ammunition 106, often in double offset parallel rows, merges into to a centered single row bypasses the hold of the magazine feed lips 123 by passing through the gap between them. The ammunition 106 following the headway spacer 214, under force of the magazine spring 102, moves out of the donor magazine 200A into the repository channel 206 while in constant contact with the headway spacer 214. The headway spacer 214 maintains the horizontal stability of the ammunition cartridges 106 while they are in the repository channel 206. When in the repository channel 206, the ammunition 106 can be held in a single row or double parallel offset row configuration. As the channel 206 fills with cartridges 106, the loading press 208 is removed from the tool 201 through the side opening 204, allowing the ammunition 106 to come into contact with the bottom apparatus opening 203.

In reference to example embodiments disclosed in FIGS. 3C, 3E and 3F, when ammunition 106 is transferred from the loading/unloading tool 201 into a recipient magazine 200B, the bottom apparatus opening 203 must be coupled to the top opening 119 of a recipient magazine 200B and the gap between that magazine's feed lips 123 set in linear planar alignment with the repository channel 206. The loading press 208 is inserted into the repository channel 206 through the side opening 204 to urge ammunition 106 from the repository channel 206 into the attached recipient magazine 200B. The loading press 208 is preferably inserted closest the top opening 202 of the loading/unloading apparatus 201 as possible, as to urge as many ammunition cartridges 106 in the repository channel into the recipient magazine 200B as possible in a single press with the loading press 208. In order to insert the loading press 208 into the repository channel 206 while it is filled with ammunition cartridges 106, the loading press 208 must be inserted between two ammunition cartridges in the repository channel 206, with the aid of the insertion edge 215. The insertion edge 215, which is located between to the headway spacer 214 and pressing surface 217 on the loading tool 208, is preferably a V-shaped portion of material on the loading press 208 that is used to wedge the pressing surface 217 into the repository channel 206 between any two ammunition cartridges 106 in the repository channel 206. Once inserted, the pressing surface 217 is configured to urge the ammunition 106 using the pressing surface 217 through the bottom apparatus opening 203 and the loading funnel 207. In an embodiment, the loading funnel 207 is generally two non-parallel, non-tangent planar slopes which narrow toward a common focal point, whose broad opening 221 is coupled to the bottom apparatus opening 203 and whose narrow opening 222 is coupled to the recipient magazine 200B. The broad opening 221 and narrow opening 222 of the loading funnel 207 are in linear alignment with the repository channel 206. Ammunition 106, upon passing through the loading funnel 207, is consolidated into a single row and continues to pass into the attached recipient magazine 200B through the gap between the magazine feed lips 123. When the ammunition 106 enters the recipient magazine 200B and the ammunition 106 generally interacts with the magazine follower 102, pushing it down further into the recipient magazine 200B. As ammunition cartridges 106 pass into the magazine 200B, they disperse from a single row configuration into a double offset parallel row configuration, which is maintained from escaping out through the top opening 119 by the magazine's feed lips 123.

In reference to example embodiments disclosed in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D, ammunition 106 may be stored in a box 209 or carton rack 211, either of which can host multiple rows of cartridges, is transferred into the loading/unloading tool 201 by placing the opened box 209 or carton rack 211 in through a tool's side opening 204 with the flat base/primer side 216 of the ammunition cartridges 106 exposed out of their of container 209, 211 facing into the repository channel 206. Once the ammunition 106 is in contact with the repository channel 206, the box 209 or carton rack 211 is lifted out of the loading/unloading tool 201, leaving the ammunition 106 behind in place. In an alternate embodiment, where multiple rows of ammunition 106 in the box 209 or carton rack 211 can not fit through the side opening 204, as when the repository channel can only accommodate one row, a single row can be loaded into the repository channel 206 at a time. This is done by holding back all rows of ammunition 106 from moving out of the box 206 or carton rack 211 with exception to the row that is to be dropped into the repository channel 206 with the assistance of gravity. After a row is dropped in, another row is loaded in another section of the channel 206 while the others are held in reserve. This process is repeated until all rows are placed into the repository channel 206. Once a recipient magazine 200B has been connected to the bottom channel opening 203, a loading press 208, which urges ammunition 106 from the repository channel 206 into the recipient magazine 200B, is inserted into the repository channel 206 through the side opening 204 between two cartridges in the repository channel 206 with the assistance of an insertion edge 215. Then the ammunition 106 is guided between the loading press 208 and the bottom apparatus opening 203, by urging of the pressing surface 217 on the loading press 208, the ammunition 106 is passed through the bottom apparatus opening 203 and a loading funnel 207, which consolidates the ammunition 106 into a single row. The ammunition 106 is then further urged through the magazine top opening 119 and magazine feed lips 123 into the recipient magazine 200B.

In reference to example embodiments disclosed in FIGS. 6, 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A, 8B and 8C, a box 209 or carton rack 211 with ammunition 106 is placed into a reservoir container 218, opened with the flat base/primer side 216 of the cartridges 106 exposed out of the ammunition container 209, 211 and facing into the reservoir container 218. A load opening 210 on the side of the reservoir container 218 hosts the ammunition container 209, 211 and is sufficiently wide enough to allow for the entire ammunition container 209, 211 to fit into the reservoir container 218 until the flat base/primer side 216 of the cartridges 106 they contain come into contact with the support tray 212 of the reservoir container 218 which is perpendicular with the ground. Once the base/primer sides 216 come into contact with the support tray 212, the support tray 212 is turned 90 degrees to be parallel with the ground, shifting the support of the cartridges 106 from the ammunition container 209, 211 onto the support tray 212. The support tray 212 is then turned back 90 degrees with its dispensing opening 213, located on a proximal end, opening downwards. The ammunition container 209 then may be lifted away, causing the ammunition 106 in contact with the support tray 212 to move downwards, by force of gravity, into the dispensing opening 213 where it is funneled into a single row by an extraction funnel 205. The extraction funnel 205 is two non-parallel, non-tangent planar slopes which narrow toward a common focal point, whose narrow opening 219 is coupled to a proximal end 202 of a repository channel 206 and whose broad opening 220 is coupled to the dispensing opening 213. Once funneled into a single row, the ammunition 106 is blocked from passing into the repository channel 206 by a loading press 208, which controls the movement of ammunition 106 into the repository channel 206 while maintaining the perpendicular alignment of ammunition cartridges 106 with the length of the repository channel 206. The loading press 208 is also used in urging ammunition 106 from the repository channel 106 into the attached magazine 200. A magazine 200 is attached to the repository channel 206 at the repository channel distal end 203, while the gap between the feed lips 123 of the magazine are set to be tangent and in linear planar alignment with the repository channel 206. The loading press 208 is then slid down the repository channel 206 while the ammunition 106 is supported on it, allowing for the ammunition 106 to move into the repository channel 206 without tilting and losing perpendicular alignment with the length of the repository channel 206. Upon coming into contact with the repository channel distal end 203, the loading press 208 is removed from the repository channel 206 and re-inserted between two cartridges 106 near the proximal end 202 of the repository channel 206, through a side opening 204 with the assistance of an insertion edge 215. The pressing surface 217 on the loading press 208 then urges the single row of ammunition 106 in the repository channel 206 between it and the distal end 203 through the distal end 203 and the magazine feed lips 123 into the attached magazine 200.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. 

1. An apparatus comprising: a magazine defining a chamber that is configured to contain one or more ammunition cartridges a set of feed lips located at a proximal end of the magazine and a spring with a follower at the spring proximal end of the magazine; a tool for loading and unloading ammunition into the magazine, the tool further comprising a reservoir container, defined by three sides of the tool an configured to hold ammunition cartridges, and a funnel to interact with a proximal end of the reservoir container to route ammunition from the reservoir container into a single row in a repository channel; and a loading press sized for insertion into the reservoir container and the repository channel such that when inserted the loading press guides ammunition through the tool and into the magazine.
 2. A method for interacting with an ammunition magazine, comprising: inserting an extraction funnel into at least one of a reservoir container or a magazine through at least one of a reservoir container proximal end and an opening defined by magazine feed lips, the feed lips located at a proximal end of the ammunition magazine and are configured to retain ammunition within the magazine; extracting one or more cartridges through at least one of the reservoir container proximal end or between the magazine feed lips using the extraction funnel; directing the one or more cartridges into a repository channel through a repository channel proximal end; aligning the cartridges into a single row by passing them through the loading funnel located at the repository channel distal end; coupling a second magazine to the repository channel distal end with the second magazine feed lips facing into the repository channel; and reinserting the ammunition into the second magazine by applying force to the cartridges through a gap defined by the second magazine's feed lips with the loading press.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein magazine feed lips form an obstruction on the left and right sides of the magazine proximal end to prohibit the passage of ammunition cartridges out of the magazine while the ammunition cartridges are in a double parallel offset row configuration.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein magazine feed lips retain ammunition cartridges within a magazine in a double parallel offset row configuration.
 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the extraction funnel extracts ammunition from a magazine by converging ammunition held in double parallel offset rows into a single centered row for passage between the magazine feed lips.
 6. A loading and unloading apparatus for interacting with a magazine, comprising: an extraction funnel at a first end of the loading and unloading apparatus and configured to couple with a magazine to extract ammunition; a repository channel, defined by a wall of the loading and unloading apparatus and terminating at the extraction funnel and configured to received ammunition through the extraction channel; a loading funnel, aligned with the distal end of the repository channel at one end and coupled to a second magazine on the opposite end, configured to consolidate the cartridges from the repository into a single row; and a loading press configured to urge the ammunition cartridges from the repository channel through the loading funnel into a second magazine.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a reservoir container configured to store ammunition cartridges, defined by three sides of the loading and unloading apparatus, the reservoir container having an opening on a proximal end to dispense ammunition out of the reservoir container.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the repository channel is exposed through an opening on one long side of the apparatus, to host the insertion of the loading press and ammunition cartridges into the repository channel.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the repository channel is configured to host a container with cartridges for the transfer of cartridges from the container to the repository channel through an opening in the container which faces into the repository channel.
 10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein ammunition cartridges held in the repository channel are partially exposed out of the apparatus through a defined long side opening in the apparatus so as to be visible for inspection and accessible for maintenance
 11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the extraction and loading funnels consolidate cartridges stacked in double offset parallel row configurations into single row configurations for passage between magazine feed lips.
 12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the extraction funnel is two non-parallel, non-tangent planar slopes which narrow toward a common focal point, whose narrow opening is coupled to the proximal end of the repository channel and whose broad opening is coupled to a magazine or a reservoir container.
 13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loading funnel is two non-parallel, non-tangent planar slopes which narrow toward a common focal point, whose broad opening is coupled to the distal end of the repository channel and whose narrow opening is coupled to a magazine or a reservoir container.
 14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the broad and narrow openings of the extraction funnel and loading funnel are in linear alignment with the repository channel.
 15. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the gap between the feed lips of a magazine and the repository channel are in linear planar alignment while the magazine feed lips are coupled to one end of the repository channel during the transfer of ammunition from the repository channel to the attached magazine, and vice-versa.
 16. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loading press travels inside of the repository channel and guides ammunition from the repository channel into an attached magazines and vice-versa.
 17. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loading press maintains the perpendicular alignment of the ammunition cartridges to the length of the repository channel by preventing cartridges from pitching forwards or backwards.
 18. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loading tool has a V-shaped edge which assists the insertion of the loading tool between any two cartridges in the repository channel.
 19. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loading press is inserted between the feed lips of a magazine and forces ammunition deeper into the magazine to create sufficient spacing for the extraction funnel to be inserted into the magazine.
 20. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the side opening of the reservoir container can host an open container with ammunition for transfer of ammunition from the ammunition container to the reservoir container. 